Unexpected Outcomes
by boyslashboy
Summary: Takes place during Ginny's 6th year. She's so sure that she'll get Harry this time, but unexpected fate twists things around, and throws back unexpected outcomes. Features: Quidditch, snogging, green robes, Bill's girlfriend, and Draco.


Unexpected Outcomes  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.   
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP  
  
Summary: Takes place during Ginny's 6th year. She's so sure that she'll get Harry this time, but unexpected fate twists things around, and throws back unexpected outcomes. Features: Quidditch, snogging, green robes, Bill's girlfriend, and Draco.  
  
***  
  
Chapter One: Barbara's Boutique  
  
"Ginny? Ginny, hurry up!"  
  
Ginny Weasley tumbled out her bedroom door, one leg still trying to poke its way through her trousers. She finished buttoning them as she flew down the stairs of her home. She arrived downstairs, face flushed. Her older brother Bill, and his girlfriend Emily were waiting for her by the foot of the stairs.  
  
Bill grinned at her, and ruffled her already messed up hair.  
  
  
  
"Bill--" Ginny grumbled, flattening her hair with the palm of her hand.  
  
Emily rolled her eyes. "Honestly. Ginny, mind combing your hair before we leave."  
  
Ginny sighed. She pulled her fiery red hair into a tight knot at the top of her head, reached for a nearby quill, and stuck it through the bun.   
  
"There. I'm ready."   
  
Emily narrowed her eyes at her hair critically, tutted under her breath, but didn't say anything.  
  
Now, Ginny did like Emily. She did. She was nice, and took care of Bill very well. Ginny just thought that Emily cared far too much about outer appearance, and what other people might think of them.  
  
That day was a fine cloudless day. The brilliant blue sky shown ever so brightly as the three made their way across the garden, towards Bill's car. Mrs. Weasley wanted dearly for Ginny to get new dress robes in time for her sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had insisted that Emily take her. ("She has such fine taste darling!").   
  
Apparently, they were driving to London, then going through The Leaky Cauldron in order to arrive at Diagon Alley.  
  
As Ginny sidled into the backseat, she asked irritably, "I still don't see why we can't just go by floo powder. It's much more faster."  
  
Emily sniffed. "The fireplace will get us all dirty."  
  
Ginny looked at Bill, who shrugged.  
  
"Ron's letter came in this morning," Bill said as he turned the car around the corner.  
  
Ginny looked up. "How is he doing?"  
  
"Oh, he's doing fine. Having a blast at the Granger household," Bill replied.  
  
Ginny bit her lip. She promised herself she wouldn't talk about -him-, but before she could stop herself, she asked, "And Harry? Is he doing okay?"  
  
Bill smiled. "He's fine. As long as he's with Ron and Hermione, he can be living in a box on the streets, and he'll be happy."  
  
Ginny slumped back into her seat. She felt angry and ashamed of herself. For two years, she had tried to push away her feelings for Harry Potter. She thought that she had gotten over him, and told Hermione this a few months before she began her fourth year at Hogwarts. Then, during that school year, she went out with quite a few boys. She knew this surprised many people. Shy, quiet Ginny, walking around with boys like Michael Corner from Ravenclaw, Dean Thomas from Gryffindor, and Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff. It was as if she was a new person. She had come out of her shell.   
  
But as Ginny went through these boys, she couldn't exactly say she felt anything for them. The same pair of emerald green eyes kept popping up every time she looked at Michael's blue ones. The same raven black hair, as messy as ever, appeared in her mind's eye as she looked at Ernie's own neat pile of blonde hair. It was no use. She couldn't stop thinking about Harry. And even though she keep telling herself, and everyone else for that matter, that she was over Harry, she knew the truth. She wasn't. She just found a better way of hiding it.  
  
After sitting through half an hour of traffic jam, Bill's car finally came to a stop in front of a parking meter. The three of them stepped out from the car.  
  
Bill went over the meter, looking at it quizzically. "Erm--"  
  
Emily, who came from a Muggle family, handed him a token. "Here darling, just put this coin right into that slot... right, there we go!" She patted Bill on the back, and he looked quite pleased with himself.  
  
They then stepped into The Leaky Cualdron a few stores down. Through the back door, then entered the narrow road of Diagon Alley.  
  
"Well ladies, I've got some Gringotts business to take care of, and anyway I don't fancy watching you two swoon over dresses," Emily smacked him lightly on the arm, "so I suggest we meet back here in... three hours?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Sure."  
  
Emily looked at her watch. "If we've only got three hours, we'd better hurry Ginny." She grabbed her arm and started dragging her down the alley.  
  
"Three hours! But that's more than enough time!" Ginny exclaimed.  
  
Emily shook her head impatiently. "We want you to have the prettiest dress robes, not some shabby hand-me-down. You'll have to choose the fabric and the style, the embroidery, and they'll have to measure you and such."  
  
Ginny sighed. "I suppose we're heading for Madam Malkin's?"  
  
Emily laughed. "That old place? No, there's a new shop just down there. It's called 'Barbara's Boutique: Dress Gowns for Balls and Banquets'."  
  
Emily suddenly stopped in front of a very posh looking shop. It was decorated in pink and white colors, and the windows showed many plastic witches posing in different dress robes.  
  
When they entered, a strong smell of flower perfume mixed with too-sweet honey filled Ginny's nostrils. She felt like barfing.  
  
A woman in her twenties walked around from behind the counter. "Hello, welcome! I'm Barbara, how can I help you?" she said in a voice that matched the perfume.  
  
"Yes, we're looking for dress robes, for this young lady," Emily gestured to Ginny, who was trying not to breathe.  
  
Barbara's smile widened. "Ah, yes. Hogwarts I suppose? Yes, we've had a lot of girls coming for dress robes this summer. The Yule Ball is quite a big deal, especially for young ladies of your age." She winked.  
  
Ginny managed a forced smile.  
  
Emily rested her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "What do you suggest her color is? I'd say lavender? Or peach-pink?"  
  
Barbara took a step closer, and slowly looked at Ginny up and down. From her hair, as red as blood, to her freckles, to her small body, and her slim legs.  
  
"Hm. Peach-pink would look nice, but I prefer forest-green."  
  
Emily's eyes widened. "Green? Oh, but that's so..." She made a face.  
  
Ginny sighed at broke away from Emily's hold. She wandered away from the two women, and glanced around the room for the first time. There were short dresses, long gowns, and in every color and style imaginable.   
  
She walked over to a long black gown. It looked sinister, yet had a beauty upon it that cannot be explained. Although, she did not wish to look as if she was attending a funeral at the Yule Ball. She walked away and let her eyes rest upon a dark red dress. Or... was it a skirt? It was so short; it couldn't possibly be a one piece.  
  
"Ginny, try this on."   
  
Ginny whirled around, and found Emily standing in front of her, holding a great big puffy blue gown. There was a huge velvet bow on the back... -and- the front.  
  
"No way. I'm not wearing that. I'll look like a walking flower!"   
  
Emily pushed the dress into her hands. "Don't be silly. This is very pretty. Go try it on."  
  
Ginny sighed and retreated to the back dressing rooms. The damn gown took ages to fit on. When she was finished, she walked out.  
  
"Oh!" Emily exclaimed. Ginny did, indeed look like a human flower.  
  
After what seemed like ages, Ginny fell back onto an armchair, (after trying out three dozens of gowns), dressed in the hideous dark red dress she saw earlier. As she sat down, it scrunched up all the way up to her upper thighs so that her knickers were showing. Ginny stood up and pulled down the dress angrily.  
  
"Arrgh, it's no use! Forget it! I just won't go to the stupid ball! It's not like anyone would care. Besides, the one person that matters won't notice me, so what's the point?!" she shouted the last part quite loudly.   
  
A ringing silence followed her outburst. Ginny felt herself blush. She had not meant to start ranting about Harry. How embarrassing.  
  
Finally, Barbara opened her mouth and said slowly, "Wait... I think I might have something for you..."  
  
She disappeared into the back room, and came back a moment later. A green dress was in her hands. Silver embroidery encircled the edges. The sleeves at the lower arms were dramatically widened.   
  
Emily eyed the dress. "It's... green. And so plain."  
  
Ginny stepped forward and felt the fabric. It was as soft as silk, and felt cool against her skin. "Actually... I kind of like it..."  
  
"No, it's not your color. Come on Ginny, we're already late to meeting Bill. We should come back another day."  
  
Barbara held the dress up against Ginny's fragile frame. "Oh look, it's perfect! Come on, let her give it a go. It won't do harm!"  
  
Emily finally gave in, and Ginny returned to the dressing rooms.   
  
When she walked back out, there was silence. Then, as if she finally found her lost voice, Emily gasped.   
  
Ginny looked down at herself. The dress fitted quite well. Actually, it fitted her almost like a second skin, showing curves that she never knew she had.  
  
"Well... is it horrible?" she asked, looking at Emily's shocked expression.  
  
"N-no... it's, it's wonderful! It's perfect! Oh Ginny it looks -darling-!"   
  
Ginny stepped in front of the mirror, and looked at herself in the dress for the first time. She resisted gasping like Emily. It was definitely stunning. Ginny had always thought of herself as plain. This dress was plain. But together... it was beautiful. The green against her red had an affect to make her look like some sort of fire goddess. Okay, she wasn't being very modest, but it -did- look that good.   
  
Barbara smiled. "I knew it. And look, you don't even need fitting. This fits you perfectly. You know, it's odd. You don't know how many girls have tried on this dress, but none of them came out looking stunning, not even good. That's why I kept it in the back storage room. But you, you look amazing in it!"  
  
Ginny flushed. "Thanks."   
  
When they rushed back to the back door of The Leaky Cauldron, Bill was already there.  
  
"Finally. Did you get a nice dress?" He eyed the bulgy package in Ginny's arms.  
  
Ginny nodded. Emily grinned.  
  
Bill shook his head. "Right then, let's go."  
  
And as Ginny settled back in Bill's car, she felt somehow much more lighthearted. She imagined herself in that gown, attending the Yule Ball, this time in Harry's arms. They would dance gracefully across the Great Hall, and everyone would be envious of the wonderful chemistry they have together.   
  
Ginny let out a sigh. He had to notice her this time.   
  
***  
  
A/N: Remember that this will eventually turn out to be Ginny/Draco. The first chapter is a bit slow, but the plot will come in soon enough. If anyone has ideas, you can email me, or leave a comment! 


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